


What we do in the shadows (is helping children)

by Menatiera



Series: Bingo Fills [26]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bikers Against Child Abuse, Christmas Party, Civil War Team Captain America, F/F, Happy Ending, Happy Steve Bingo, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Misconceptions, Mostly gen fic, Motorcycles, Natasha POV, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve POV, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, Team as Family, bucky pov, mention of flashbacks and ptsd, no present angst, only past ones, the relationship is not as central as in the rest of my fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:47:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21621214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menatiera/pseuds/Menatiera
Summary: When a young lady approaches Steve in public, he has to admit to Sam and Natasha what he does in his free time: he's part of a biker gang. Namely, he's a member of the Bikers Against Child Abuse.Squares filled: Social media; Team dinner; Nomad; Motorcycles; Mistletoe. (It's a bingo, yeah!)
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov/Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers & Original Female Character(s)
Series: Bingo Fills [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1204474
Comments: 22
Kudos: 177
Collections: Happy Steve Bingo 2019





	1. B1 - Social Media

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cpt_winniethepooh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cpt_winniethepooh/gifts).



> I am not part of BACA, nor affiliated anyhow with them, so if there is any inaccuracy in my portrayal of the organization, please feel free to warn me. I tried to do my homework and research them, but that's not as accurate as knowing them, or being part of them. Such organization doesn't exist in my country so when I've read a post about them on tumblr, my initial reaction was "omg, Steve would love them," and thanks to Happy Steve Bingo, this fic was written. 
> 
> A totally self-indulgent, pointless fic that no one asked for, but I had fun with it, so I hope you'll enjoy it as well. Warning: no betaing, no anything, and it was written in a haste, so there are a lot of grammatical mistakes. Gifted to my dearest Winnie, because I sure as hell wouldn't have written it without her enthusiasm for motocycles :)

“Steve?” The girl approaching them didn’t seem older than twenty, tops, and she tentatively stepped closer and closer until she was sure of herself. That happened when Steve turned towards her, face wary, yet the girl’s eyes lit like christmas lights and she laughed out. “Steve, it’s you!”

Bucky saw the exact the moment of recognition, the way Steve’s expression morphed from polite-but-empty to smiling-for-real, and in the next heartbeat Steve had his arms open. “Minnie! Oh my god, what a dame you’ve become!”

The girl giggled as she was embraced by Steve. Bucky smiled too - he didn’t know this girl personally, but he had a safe bet who she was, and that meant that by default Bucky would be friendly with her.

The rest of the gang wasn’t this lucky, though. Natasha looked like she was dumped with cold water, and even Sam seemed a bit lost. Bucky did his best to discreetly shot a picture of it for future reference. Of course the camera wasn’t on mute like the rest of the phone, but the sound of it at least broke the stupor of those two.

Sam scowled at Bucky, while Natasha cleared her throat.

Steve pulled away from the girl. “Oh, sorry,” he apologized instantly, “Minnie, these are my friends Natasha and Sam, and my partner Bucky.”

Two handshakes and a shy hug later, Minnie had her phone in hand. “Can I take a selfie? I wanna post it to the group chat.”

“Sure, just not on Instragram, deal?” Steve agreed, and moved next to her to smile to the lens.

“You’re no fun,” Minnie complained with a grin, to which Steve responded with sticking his tongue out.

Natasha had to turn away to bury her face to Sam’s shoulder. “Am I hallucinating?” she complained, “must’ve been something in the water. Rogers never acts like this around his fans. And what group chat?”

That was true, Steve was polite, but never too friendly, touchy-feely, and definitely never childish around his fans. He had to uphold an image, after all - Captain America couldn’t be seen anything else but the hero he was.

But Minnie was different. Minnie wasn’t here for Cap, Bucky was sure of that, so Steve didn’t have to fit into a role, and that changed his whole demeanor with her. He wasn’t fully himself, not yet - not like they were alone in their apartment, just the two of them - but Steve was carefree enough that it hardly counted.

“If you do, then we have the same trip,” Sam murmured to Natasha, his hand slipping to her waist.

“Apparently there are a few things you still don’t know about Steve,” Bucky noted, and couldn’t help the smugness in his voice. There was still some competitiveness between him and Sam when it came to Steve - if Birdbrain thought he could just show up and start being Steve’s best friend like that position wasn’t taken since the 20s, well, he had it coming.

Natasha, however, was more curious than to let the argument unfold this time around. “So enlighten us.”

Bucky shrugged, and took a step away from Sam and Nat, towards his boyfriend to get the attention of the newfound pair furiously taking selfies trying to find the best angle.

“Quit it, Steve, this is not a prom photoshoot. Minnie, we were actually heading out for lunch, wanna join?”

She looked seriously torn for a moment, but then sad determination took over her face. “I’d love to, but I can’t. I have a lecture - I’m doing college now,” she added, looking extremely proud of herself, and Steve actually punched the air in delight.

“That’s awesome! I’m so glad for you!” He took her phone - she let it - and added his number to her contacts. At least, Bucky suspected that was happening, since he couldn’t see the screen from the place he was standing. “Text me, or call. After the lecture, I mean. I don’t want you to be late,” he added, his smile turning sheepish.

It took about three more minutes until all rounds of goodbyes were done, and she went to her business while the four of them continued their little trip to their favorite Chinese restaurant.

Bucky could practically feel the holes Sam’s and Natasha’s stares were burning to Steve’s skin, but Steve pretended to not notice, his hands swinging at each step with fake carelessness and he was whistling a tune off-key.

They were superheroes and superspies and soldiers. Patience was their virtue. Yet only after two mere minutes, Sam broke down. “For fuck’s sake, Steve, will you start speaking or I have to shake you?”

Steve turned to him with a sly grin. “Oh, I wasn’t aware you are interested,” he said as innocently as a saint.

“Dude!”

“Okay,” Steve amended, still smiling. He pushed the door of the restaurant open, and gallantly motioned inside. “After we’ve ordered, you can ask your questions. I’m starving.”


	2. I1 - Team Dinner

Normally, ordering in a restaurant took ages for the four of them. Steve would insist trying something he knew from back, while Bucky argued the glory of discovering new dishes, Natasha would study the menu for minutes trying to find the best price and quality deal that fit her current mood, and Sam was just generally indecisive when it came to food.

This time, none of the two looked at the menu at all, just ordered the first chinese meal that came to their mind from the waitress: Chow Mein for Sam and Kung Pao Chicken for Nat. Bucky chuckled at their impatient expression, and the way Nat’s leg bounced and Sam knocked on the table with his nails while Steve and Bucky took their time.

When all was said and done, however, Sam couldn’t wait longer. The waitress wasn’t even out of earshot while he asked, “who was she?”

Instead of Steve, it was Bucky who answered, though he had the decency to phrase his suspicion as a question.

“She was a BACA-child, right?”

Steve smiled and nodded.

“BACA?” Sam looked from one to another. “Do I hear it right?”

“I don’t know what that is,” Natasha said with a confused frown. Bucky loved that - loved that his itty-bitty spiderling had grown comfortable enough to admit that she didn’t know something. She had a long road behind her for sure - one that Bucky himself still just started walking on.

Steve exchanged a look with Bucky, as if bracing himself, then he explained, his voice soft. “BACA means Bikers Against Child Abuse.”

Natasha blinked.

“So?”

“It’s an organization that exists to provide aid, comfort, safety, and support for children that have been sexually, physically, and emotionally abused,” Bucky quoted the pamphlet.

“I’ve heard of them, all good things,” Sam nodded, thoughtful. “But how come…” His eyes widened. “What the hell, man! You’re a BACA member?”

“When did that happened?” Nat demanded as well.

“Remember my gap year after the chitauri attack? While I was out of SHIELD?”

“No,” Sam answered immediately. Bucky, again, had to grin. It was awesome when Sam was reminded that he wasn’t part of the team as long as some others.

Of course, Bucky had still been on ice at the time and thinking that Hydra was the good guys, but still.

“Yes,” Natasha said, the same time as Sam. “Are you trying to tell me that the first thing you did after you dropped off the radar was _joining a biker gang?!”_

“Well, not the first thing,” Steve ducked his head. 

The waitress showed up with their plates, and they all waited until she finished and disappeared again. Bucky started to slurp his soup. Steve stabbed his fork into his pork. 

“It took me like, two months after that. Of course, after I’ve learned what it was about, I joined immediately. I’ve been to a lot of seminars and workshops, it’s kinda mandatory in the beginning, and I’ve learned a lot. It helped a lot to me, as well, y’know. And they were good people, good friends. It gave me a purpose at the time.”

“And here I thought you didn’t know much psychology,” Sam commented, munching on his pasta.

“Did you like it?” Natasha asked.

“Yeah.” Steve looked away, with that faraway, almost sad but not quite expression Bucky knew so well. Steve had that when talking about his life before the serum. Before Cap. Bucky gripped Steve’s free hand under the table, squeezing lightly.

“What happened?” he prompted Steve to continue, even though he had heard this already. Bucky figured his voice would be more comforting to Steve than if the others asked the same thing.

Steve gave a lopsided smile, not happy at all. “Life.” He looked at Sam, then at Natasha. “School shootings, terrorist attacks, things like that. I felt guilty for not doing more. Not helping more.”

“You were helping abused kids,” Sam countered. “I don’t know much about BACA, but I know they do everything for their, hm, proteges. They accompany them to court hearings, guard their homes at night, organize programs…”

“We do,” Steve agreed, and Bucky’s heart swelled with pride. “And I loved doing it. But most of the folks, they did it while having a regular job, y’know? It was an extra above that. So I felt guilty for not… for not doing my part as Cap and be a member after hours.”

“Being Cap is a little more taxing than a desk job,” Sam pointed out.

Steve shrugged, nonchalant. “It took a while to find a balance.”

Natasha nearly spat her drink. “What? You’re still doing it?”

And Steve, bless his heart, looked at her like she was crazy. “Of course I’m doing it. You don’t just quit being a BACA member.”

“That’s where he’s going when he’s on vacation,” Bucky added smoothly, again sending a pointed look towards Sam. See, Sam didn’t even know what Steve did for at least a week every month, but sometimes longer. He mostly went out alone, and only asked Bucky to accompany him if he was needed longer than expected. Bucky was good with missing him for a previously estimated amount of time, but not longer than he was prepared for.

“And here I was thinking his road trips were about getting to know the 21st century America,” Sam muttered darkly.

“I get to know that as well,” Steve smiled, soft and apologetic, like he had kept a secret - he didn’t, in Bucky’s opinion. He just didn’t tell the whole truth, not like anyone  _ asked _ except Bucky.

He figured it was time to slightly divert the conversation from that angle. “So this Minnie is in college now. How old was she when you’ve met?”

People said that Steve was hard to read, but Bucky begged to differ. He was difficult to read because he had so nuanced expressions, every twitch and every line with a different meaning, and he managed to convey  _ so much _ with his expressions to someone who knew how to read him that it confused the rest of the people. Right now, Steve’s face was both soft at the edges, but also hard as steel in the core, and if Bucky didn’t have the advantage of growing up together, he probably would’ve been confused about the meaning of that as well.

“Sixteen,” Steve quietly said, “abused for years before she finally got help. It took us almost four days to make her feel safe enough to talk, a full week until she was more or less comfortable around the members. The court hearing was torturous. I hoped her father will snap and come at us, but he was bastard enough to know just how far he could go without getting a good beating.” Steve looked away in the end, nostrils expanding with a harsh breath, and Bucky noted that as well.

He very much suspected that Minnie’s father had apparently got his beating, after all. 

“Well, I’m sure even scumbags like that know better than to face Captain America,” Sam tried to joke, but Steve shook his head immediately.

“Captain America has nothing to do with this. I am Steve Rogers there, not Cap. Also, I’m not nearly the biggest fella among the lot, so…” he shrugged, and continued eating. 

The others picked up their utensils as well, Bucky making a face realizing that his food wasn’t hot anymore. There was a silence, everyone coming to terms with the new information.

“You seemed really happy about the college thing,” Bucky said after a while, and finally, Steve flashed a bright, real smile.

“Oh yes. Minnie was really… she kinda gave up on her dreams back then, so it’s awesome to see her pursuing them again.”

As if on cue, Steve’s phone pinged, and he fished it out from his pocket to check. Steve showed the screen around. Among several notifications, there was the selfie with Minnie, with the caption:  _ “Met one of my biker dads in the park before lecture. #lovelivinginNY” _

Comments started to pour in from the other bikers.

“Group chat, hm?” Natasha asked with an eyebrow raised while Sam grinned showing off nearly all his teeth.

Steve squeezed back Bucky’s hand under the table. “Well, just because their situation is better, we don’t abandon anyone,” he pointed out, his gaze flickering between all three of them at the table and the screen of his phone. “Once a BACA child, always a BACA child.”

Bucky felt the warmth in his chest, because it was true to him as well: no matter what happened, what times were behind or ahead, he once was part of Steve’s family, so he always, always would be part of it. They were brothers in everything but blood once, and now they were lovers, and there were no script and no possible future that they weren’t there for each other.


	3. N1 - Motorcycles

Natasha didn’t expect her phone to ring the next afternoon of their unofficial half-team dinner, but never said of her she didn’t take anything in stride. By the time she accepted the call, she was ready to all range of possibilities from world-ending scale to answering jeopardy questions - based on the caller ID.

“Steve, what’s wrong?”

“Hey, Nat, nice to hear your voice,” Steve answered, and Natasha rolled her eyes.

“And yours as well. Now, what can I do for you?”

To his credit, Steve dropped the small talk as well.

“Minnie would like to go for a bike ride, can you join us?”

Natasha frowned with the phone on her ear. “Why would you need anyone to join you?” Steve never asked for partners to his bike rides. The only one who sometimes accompanied him was James, but even that didn’t happen often.

“BACA policy is that a member can’t ever be alone with a child. You know, for the further protection of the kids - overseeing each other and all.”

“That girl we’ve met is hardly a child anymore, Rogers, plus we both know that you’d never do anything inappropriate.”

She could practically see the shrug as an answer. “Still.”

Natasha sighed. “Fine, but you owe me a bottle of vodka. The finest Russian one, I know your boy has his sources.”

“Not like you don’t have yours, Nat,” Steve pointed out, and Natasha ended the call with a small smile on her lips. She liked these boys way too much.

*

By the time Natasha arrived to Rogers’ and Barnes’ apartment, Minnie was already there, and the pair of them quietly chatted on the street, Steve leaning back to the wall and Minnie standing in his space, laughing at something. They weren’t touching, but it was obvious they were comfortable around each other.

Natasha didn’t raise her eyebrows, but the teasing was in her voice while she asked, “what, no Barnes around?”

Steve’s jaw clenched tight and his gaze trailed around. “He’s not a fan of driving himself,” he said, his voice almost formal. Their eyes met for a moment, and Natasha understood - the haunted quality in Rogers’ look talked about flashbacks and panic attacks without saying a single word. Natasha remembered abruptly how skilled driver the Winter Soldier was, and how many times he was probably sent out on a motorcycle to finish missions; missions that Barnes still didn’t forgive himself performing. Natasha nodded, also conveying his understanding with her eyes, at least she hoped so that Steve understood her just as much as she understood him.

It was time to change the subject before they became too emotional; something none of them handled particularly well. Nat eyed Rogers' outfit critically.

“It’s good to finally see you out of your grandpa clothes,” she remarked. Steve looked - well, great. His clothes were slim and fitted him great, tight and slightly padded jeans with a red shirt and a stellar leather jacket. Nat was almost jealous for that jacket, and quietly sworn to get it sometimes later. The combat boots were the cherry on top, giving some bad boy vibes to the generally tame outcome.

“Thanks.”

Minnie, who listened to their conversation quietly until now, chimed in. “And we’re matching!” Natasha looked at her as she turned around, showing her back to Natasha. She dressed similarly to Steve. She was thin enough to look quite fashionable in most clothes (a bit too thin, Natasha noted, remembering also the dark circles under her eyes), so the simple yet stylish blue jeans, t-shirt with an owl printed on it and leather jacket combination was good for her as well. When she turned around, she revealed a logo on the back of her clothes - and that she sported a huge logo patch, a fist in red field with white frame, the letters proudly announcing that it was a Bikers Against Child Abuse jacket. She tugged at Steve, and Steve obediently turned around as well, showing off the same logo.

“Nice,” Nat commented. She also noticed that Steve’s jacket was different because there was a - name? above the logo. Only it wasn’t Steve, or Rogers.

The white letters read  _ Nomad. _

Nat saved her questions for the time they didn’t have audience.

“And what about Sam?” she asked instead when the pair faced her again.

Steve’s eyes and expression brightened in an instant. “You didn’t know either?”

“What?”

“Sam can’t drive a bike,” Steve laughed, with that rare and precious real laugh of his that no one had heard before Barnes came in from the cold. 

Any other time, Nat would’ve appreciated the sound of it, but at that moment, he was too surprised. “No way.”

“Yes way,” Steve grinned. “Can you imagine?”

“I’m so gonna tease him with that.”

“I certainly won’t stop you,” Steve allowed, and turned to Minnie. “Ready for a New York sightseeing?”

Nat’s attention turned toward Rogers’ sleek, modern Harley Davidson, and let her eyes devour the curves and shape of it. She rarely admitted, but she appreciated the look of bikes way more than cars. She knew this particular motorcycle was a gift from Stark, that Steve got it soon after the battle of New York, and after they’d worked together on the cleanup efforts for a few weeks. In Stark’s eyes, it was the final apology to erase that unfortunate argument between them. In Steve’s eyes, it was absolution from that same argument.

The bike had a heavy history and symbolism, just like Rogers himself, and Natasha always found that fitting.

“More ready than you are,” the girl answered with a grin, and she didn’t hesitate at all to climb in front of Rogers on his bike. Natasha wondered if she - or Rogers, for that matter - had any idea that the vehicle worth more than most apartments in a cheaper neighborhood. She doubted it.

Natasha grabbed her helmet, ready to get back to the saddle as well. She was ready for a boring evening playing unnecessary chaperone - but at least she had an excuse to bring out her bike. That was nice. She hoped they wouldn’t spend the whole trip in the city and can do some speeding in more rural areas later.


	4. G1 - Nomad

By the time they dropped off Minnie at her college campus, it was dark and cold. Natasha was almost speechless - she had never, ever seen Rogers drive this carefully, looking out for every sign and keeping all the highway code rules. He even blinked before every turn, something Natasha had been sure she didn’t even know how to do.

They were quiet until they parked in front of Rogers’ apartment, and Natasha made it obvious that she didn’t plan to go home immediately. Steve took off his helmet - another miracle, until today Natasha sported the belief that he didn’t have one - and smiled at her. “I’d invite you in, but I have a feeling that you’d get in whether I want you there or not.”

“It’s still polite to invite me in nonetheless,” she pointed out.

“What have I thought,” Rogers laughed; laughed easy and carefree as he had done several times today with the girl they drove around.

Steve offered his arm, and Natasha accepted and let herself be led up the stairs to the door of the old brownhouse flat, then smiled at the flourish, too-wide movements Rogers presented the keys and opened the door, because that’s why he did it.

“Thanks for coming today, Nat,” he said and pressed a quick kiss on her cheek while she shouldered past him to get into the apartment, that smelled of cinnamon and chocolate. 

Barnes poked his head out of the kitchen. “Back already? Sorry, I expected you a little bit later,” he commented, ducking back behind the wall for a few seconds - just enough for them to toe off their shoes and walk into the living room. Barnes then reappeared, hair in a messy bun and wearing an apron above his sweatpants and shirt.

Natasha accepted the second kiss on her cheek gracefully, then turned toward the bookshelf to hunt for new titles - she knew the lovebirds enough to know she had time, after all. At first it was fascinating to see Steve french kissing another guy, especially that it was Barnes, her former trainer and lover.

Then it got old news, and even though the centenarians reduced intimate touches mostly within the four walls, it just wasn’t interesting enough. The new arrangement on the shelves told more about them.

Plus, they weren’t quiet either, so she could fill out the gaps of the experience even without proper visuals.

When the noises quieted down, she turned back. Neither of the men seemed ashamed of being so eager beavers to greet each other, there wasn’t even a blush on Rogers, despite the fact that somehow James lost his bun and his hair was framing his face untamed, while Steve had an even messier birds nest on his head than his previous helmet hair had been, which was, seriously, an impressive feat from James.

Natasha smelled the air theatrically.

“Gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies are coming,” James assured, and disappeared back to the kitchen.

Nat looked at Steve.

“So.”

Steve shrugged, and stood her gaze unflinching. Not like she expected anything else.

“Nomad?” she finally asked.

Steve gestured toward the couch, and Nat sat.

“Yeah, at first I was like, I don’t need a nickname there,” Steve started, running his fingers through his hair, and making a face realizing that either it got a wash or was remaining a mess. “I can finally be just Steve, y’know? And it was fine on workshops and such. But then we went out a few times with the others. Just… rides to get t,o know each other better, or me accompanying them for cases that were already started, and the kids knew that a new biker was also a friend. And it was fine with adults, they rarely recognized me, but the kids? They did.”

James reappeared with baked goods, put them down on the table then folded his legs under himself next to Nat on the couch.

“Oh, you’ve seen the name,” Barnes noted while already munching on a gingerbread man that was decorated in red, blue and white coating. “I love the name.”

She lifted her arm and let Barnes burrow himself under it, leaning against Nat with his full weight, while Steve continued.

“At first we just said that I was Steve and not Cap, but to some kids, that wasn’t acceptable. Plus, it confused them that Captain America showed up but only as one of the gang members, you know? Like the little boys expected me to beat their abusive parents into submission and such.” He grimaced again. “So we’ve tried to come up with something. And I decided to have this name, Nomad. It’s as far from Cap as possible. And I usually let the children’s imagination fill in the gaps in the story. Some think I’m Captain America’s twin brother who helps the children instead of the adults. Some figure out I’m Captain America, but undercover, so I can’t reveal myself. Some just accept that I am not Cap but Nomad, and that’s the end of the story because the adults told so.”

“I’m a little disappointed none of the kids came up with the idea that Nomad is secretly evil, and planning to take down Cap,” James added, teasing.

“As far from Cap as possible? Please. You’ve missed the chance to be Comrade Russia,” she smiled as well.

“Or Captain Mexico.”

“Private Canada?”

“General Africa?”

“You’re insufferable,” Steve huffed, and took one of the gingerbreads.

“But Nomad loooves us,” Natasha singsonged, and James high-fived her.

“You won’t let me live this down, I suppose.” Steve threw his hands up and sat down to Bucky’s other side.

“Not a chance,” she agreed. She nudged Barnes. “Also, Rogers owe me vodka, make sure I get the best.”

“Understood, Ma’am. Until then, wanna watch a movie? We’re in the middle of a Disney marathon.”

“You bet. Bring it on.”


	5. O1 - Mistletoe

_ \--- In December --- _

“You sure you want to bring all of us?” Sam asked, way too late, in Steve’s opinion. They were already in the elevator, only a few floor away from the BACA Christmas party. Natasha gripped Sam’s hand a little tighter. She seemed calm - something that wasn’t the case with Sam, or even with Bucky.

“It’s going to be fine,” Steve promised, also squeezing Bucky’s upper arm with his free hand. “People are allowed to bring friends and family here.”

Three of them were wearing what was considered ugly christmas sweaters (a legit term according to Natasha, while Bucky found them cool, especially the little led lights that were sewn into his sweater), but Natasha decided she wanted to suit up, so her wine red dress was all but flawless, highlighting her slim waist and lifting her boobs a bit. Steve didn’t fail to notice the near drooling reaction from Sam, especially when the excision of the skirt revealed Nat’s muscular calves and Sam nearly tripped over his own feet.

Not like it wasn’t obvious from the start that Sam had a  _ thing _ for Natasha, but still. It became funnily obvious at times.

Steve remained quiet as usual. Nat had played matchmaker with him enough that she’d deserve something like that in return, but Steve was absolutely positive that the two of them would figure it out without outer help, sooner or later. So until then, he could sit back and enjoy the show of them tiptoeing around each other.

He exchanged a look with Bucky, who was apparently on the same page since day one, and they shared a knowing smile before the elevator pinged and opened its door to the christmas party.

*

It was - nice. Bucky handled it like a champ, being so similar to his 40s self that it made Steve’s heart ache, for once enjoying the buzzing energy of the room instead of getting withdrawn from it. The four of them stuck together at first, but sometimes around the end of the first hour they drifted apart, and since then Steve only saw Nat and Sam from afar. They seemed to have fun as well, though, not like Nat would’ve shown otherwise, but Sam was an entirely different case.

Steve let his thoughts wander away, being led by Bucky who flittered from one group of people to the next, joining into conversations or withdrawing from them as he saw it fitting. Normally Steve engaged more, especially with these people, but it was also nice to just let his boyfriend take the lead this time.

Until Bucky tugged at Steve’s arm with a little more force than before, and Steve’s focus jumped into attention immediately.

“Look who’s here!” Bucky said, warm and  _ happy, _ and Steve looked around until his eyes landed on Minnie.

“Steve! Bucky!” Minnie was hugging Steve in an instant, and it took a moment for Steve to realize that the girl wasn’t alone either. She pulled back, grinning. “Hey you - please meet Eli Bradley. Eli, these are Steve - I talked about him as Nomad - and his partner Bucky. Wait, you’re still together, right?”

Steve and Bucky nodded in unison, while shaking the introduced boy’s hand, and she let out a relieved breath. “Hahh, good to know. You’re such a cute couple.”

“Cute is definitely not the word I’d use to describe us,” Steve laughed, and got smacked in the head by Bucky. 

“Don’t ruin it, Stevie. I’m cute. I can’t help if you ain’t.”

Meanwhile Eli wrapped an arm around Minnie’s waist, looking straight into Steve’s eyes while doing so. Steve only smiled at him. The boy was brave and unapologetic - showing that he belonged to Minnie in front of a room full of people who would be ready to jump at her defense in any situation.

Before the situation could escalate, however, a chanting draw their attention.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

“What the…?” Steve muttered, and started to move toward the source of the uprising, ready to step up if… he wasn’t sure what even ‘if’ was in this case. This was a safe space to all. Or at least it was supposed to be. 

He halted when he shouldered past some people and came to the scene, namely Natasha and Sam gripping each other under a green plant with white berries glued to the ceiling, looking perplexed but not alarmed, and Steve’s shoulders relaxed. Though his friends seemed off-guard, they weren’t in danger. Though either of them were fan of the spotlight, it was just tradition, right? And not like the pair didn’t dance around each other for ages.

So instead of charging front and saving them, Steve actually took a step back, watching the scene unfolding. Bucky was behind him, wrapping his arms around Steve and resting his chin on Steve’s shoulder.

Nat and Sam both shot an icy glare around, and it seemed to be enough to quiet down the people, replacing the chanting with expectant silence.

Sam turned back to Natasha, and Nat looked at him, and there was a mute conversation going on between them just with their eyes, asking for permission and granting it at the same heartbeat, until Natasha finally gathered her courage and raised to her tiptoes, ready to kiss the corner of Sam’s lips.

Sam let her, for a moment, both hands on her hips for balance, but the moment their lips touched, he turned his head, just as slightly so the kiss turned from innocent to real. Nat’s hand slipped up on Sam’s arms, gripped his shoulders, then her left drifted to Sam’s face, palm cupping the delicate skin there as she kept kissing. 

For a moment, Steve wasn’t sure if she was putting up a show for the audience or more, but when she leaned into the contact with enough force to actually bend Sam back a bit, and still kept kissing, he was sure it was real.

Everyone around held their collective breath, as the kiss was drawn longer and longer - until, finally, the two of them parted, gazing into each other’s eyes a little lovestruck, and Natasha’s red lipstick smudged both of their lips.

The bikers around erupted in cheers and applause, to which Steve and even Bucky joined in. Steve felt his heart swell with pride and joy - as fun as their uncertainty had been, it was wonderful to see his friends finally kissing, and seeing genuinely happy about it. Sam started to lead Nat out from the empty space in the middle of the circle formed by the people around. They were equals, taking the lead when necessary and letting themselves be lead otherwise by each other.

Before Steve could turn to Bucky and tell him his observations, there was a strong push from behind, and Steve and Bucky both stumbled forward, not expecting it at all. Bucky was turning around in an instant with fists raised, ready to fight, while Steve just rolled his eyes as the chanting -  _ “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”  _ \- restarted around them.

Him and Bucky were standing under the mistletoe, now.

Not like Steve minded. He was, to his own surprise, even comfortable with the crowd around them.

He knew these people - if Steve would say a word or show that it was against his will, the chant would’ve stopped and they would’ve been let out from the circle. These people had spent half of their life protecting children from abuse, and wouldn’t put anyone in a situation where they would actually force a kiss where they weren’t absolutely sure that the kiss was wanted by both parties.

Steve knew he could trust his friends here, and it was enough for him to be at ease with the situation.

Steve gently put his hand on Bucky’s shoulder, turning his lover around and stepping into his space. Bucky lowered his hands, not quite calmed, but not in high alarmed, seeing how relaxed Steve was.

Steve leaned in and touched their foreheads together. “What do you say, Buck?” he asked in a hushed whisper, quiet enough that no one would hear them through the noise. “Shall we give them a show?”

Bucky closed his eyes. “Just a little,” he agreed, and even smiled a bit, “It’s nice to be applauded for it instead of lynched, I guess.”

Steve leaned in more, and brushed his lips against Bucky, taking his time to feel the texture, the sensation of the touch, before he deepened his kiss, pushing their mouths together with more force. There was love in there, and a bit of desperation, too - as always, because kissing Bucky never ceased to be amazing, and never ceased to be a miracle after all this time, all this separation and all this suffering. He kissed and pushed his tongue into Bucky’s mouth, and Bucky reciprocated the kiss with the same enthusiasm, melting into the touches, melting into Steve, tasting and licking and nipping at each other, deep and slow and sensual. Everything turned quiet. Steve’s eyes was closed and the outside world didn’t exist so long as he could kiss Bucky’s mouth, and trail his fingers on Bucky’s back, and could share their breath and life and everything.

Steve had no idea if it were seconds or hours until they emerged from their own bliss, opening their eyes and hearing the thunderous cheers from all around. It took him some more seconds to tear his gaze away from Bucky, from the light in his eyes and the shine on your face, took all of his self-control to stop staring at Bucky’s lips, red and bitten and waiting for more kisses, to actually look around. 

Minnie and Eli were standing in the spot in the first row where previously Steve and Bucky had been, clapping vigorously. Steve winked at them, and then gently tugged at Bucky’s arm and started to lead his lover away from the attention. Bucky didn’t seem to mind it, but Steve didn’t want to press their luck and accidentally cause a meltdown.

Sam and Natasha, as if reading his mind, appeared out of nowhere at their side.

“That was something,” Natasha commented.

“Yeah,” Bucky agreed, his smile dopey and leaning a bit too much to Steve, as if being drunk. The observation ran through Steve’s head: was it possible to someone to get drunk on attention? If it was, Bucky was certainly in that state.

“Let’s call it a night and get out of here,” Sam suggested. He wasn’t in any better state than Bucky, if Steve was honest: Sam didn’t tear his eyes from Natasha for a second.

“Good idea,” Steve agreed, ready to get back to their rooms in the hotel.

Bucky waved a lazy goodbye to the room.

Someone whistled after them. When looking back, Steve saw Minnie taking his fingers out of her mouth and saluting to them.

“You know, I’m really glad we’ve met that girl,” Natasha quietly said in the elevator. Sam and Bucky, for once, both grunted in agreement.

Steve met Natasha’s eyes and smiled at her. She seemed pleased with the turn of the events, maybe even happy. Just like Steve felt.

He had been feeling that for a while now, but nights like this helped him to remember, and to actually realize what was he feeling.

They smiled at each other, boyfriends at their sides. “Yeah,” Steve agreed, “I’m glad too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies again for the grammatical mistakes, I'm not a native speaker. Maybe one day a beta will go through this and correct them, but it is not that day :) Nonetheless, if you liked the story, please leave a comment! I'd love to read what you think of this! :)

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, please leave a kudos and a comment, this user needs validation :) Also feel free to seek me out on Tumblr or Discord, my username is Menatiera on both! :)


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